Got Gamay? No, no nouveau. Give me the Cru du Beaujolais

If you are like most people, your experience with Beaujolais is limited to nouveau.

That is Georges Duboeuf’s fault. The master marketer created demand for nouveau– that sweetish, fizzish, flirtatious

Points for simplicity

early bottling. But Beaujolais can produce ponderous reds with color and tannic structure. Most of these are wines from 11 cru villages in Beaujolais. They are so underappreciated, they are often cheaper than the overrated, overpriced nouveau.

Another reason to appreciate Beaujolais: the wine is made from the gamay grape, which is a relative of (heads bow) pinot noir. Heck Beaujolais is considered part of Burgundy. In fact, many of the crus don’t call themselves Beaujolais at all, because the category’s reputation is so diminished by nouveau. They call themselves “Red Burgundy” or refer only to the village name.

I selected these wines as part of Wine Blogging Wednesday, a tradition among wine bloggers begun by veteran vino blogger Lenn Thompson.

Best Beaujolais comes from the hilly north.

You won’t see “ Beaujolais” on the best producers’ bottles. Jadot, Mommessin, and Drouhin refuse to use the word on their Beaujolais, believing its image is so tarnished by nouveau. So we should run down these village because that’s the only way your going to spot them.

Nicholas Potel was one the young hot shots pushing the envelope in Beaujolais, although he has since parted company with the negotiant bearing his name. Potel-Aviron 2006 Juliénas Vielles Vignes is bursting with candied fruit with an edge of spiciness showing, orange zest and cherry and black pepper with a bit of earth on a mouth-watering finish. 4.5/5. (This wine calls itself a Red Burgundy.)

Henry Fessy 2007 Brouilly shows bright cherry but with an earthier, dark chocolate nose. This wine is richer in texture with cranberry and reflects the mineral rich soils of this region. A quitisensential Beaujolais. 4/5. (This one calls itself Cru du Beaujolais.)

Pascal Granger Earl 2006 Moulin- à-Vent smells like Smarties candies. The wine enters sweet, almost like cranberry cocktail and vanilla. But it transitions and gets serious with acids and a peppery finish. This would be a spectacular food wine. (I’m thinking porketta.) 3.5/5. This is an Earl

Moulin- à-Vent is the one cru region that is not a village — it’s named for the ancient windmill that dominates the area. Friends call it “MAV.”

Jean-Paul Chévenet 2008 Vieilles Vignes Morgon has a sweet cherry and incense nose but turns mineraly in the mouth with flinty, cherry pit flavor and a nice brush of tannins on the way down. 3.5/5. Imported by Kermit Lynch- another name that means a lot on the back label. Note: “Vieilles Vignes” means “old vine.”

This wine is a treat from one of the lesser-known cru villages: Domaine Piron & Lafont 2006 Chenas Quartz. Smells jammy. With considerable body and intense dried blueberry and herb flavors, the wine wraps up with a peppery finish and some tartness. This is a muscular Beaujolais, more comfortable alongside MAVs or Brouilly.

It means "Wheel of Wind"

Beaujolais is incredibly versatile as a food wine. You can chill it, if you wish. It’s a red you can enjoy year around. While the crus are not lightweight wines, they are bridge wines for new wine drinkers trying to get into reds. Consider them for barbecue, Thanksgiving, pork, or just a day on the porch.Beaujolais, just about 30 miles north to south, is a great lesson in terroir and an opportinuty to explore the different expression of the unappreciated gamay grape.

David Falchek unscrambles the complex world of wine. Cutting through the uninteresting and uninspiring, David finds wines that over-deliver for the price or that offer something special. Firm in the belief that wine should an everyday drink for everyone, he loathes the word connoisseur and despises snobbery.

In addition to his weekly column that appears the Pennsylvania and New York publications, David's work has appeared in several wine magazines and he serves often as a wine judge. Based in Scranton, Pa., David is also a fan of non-West Coast wines with a particular affinity for those of Pennsylvania and New York.